Best value law schools

Beyond how much debt a law school student might have by the time they take the bar, we seek to understand which schools produce bar-passing, practice-ready graduates.

And the 2026 results are in.

Using metrics far beyond the cost of admission, we determined our ranking for best value U.S. law schools by crunching American Bar Association data for bar exam passage, employment rates, tuition fees and the cost of living, along with indebtedness data from U.S. News & World Report. We developed an equation meant to give law school students a better sense of the overall, inherent value of a law school education at any given institution.

The key findings showed the competition was tight, public schools dominate, the end game matters and new entrants are making the grade.

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University of Georgia School of Law reclaimed the No. 1 spot this year as its tuition went down, bar exam scores stayed strong, average debt stayed low and average employment improved slightly. Florida State University College of Law, previously the top spot holder, fell to No. 4 as its tuition increased while still posting stronger bar exam results and lower average debt than last year.

Brigham Young University – J. Reuben Clark Law School — a list stalwart ranked No. 2 this year — was the only private law school to rank in the top 35.

Several schools improved their rankings because of stronger employment and bar exam outcomes, rather than major changes in cost. For instance, Georgia State University College of Law rose from No. 14 to No. 7 based on average employment and bar passage rates.

University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law joined our “best value” list this year by improving across every grading category compared to last year. The school’s annual cost of attendance is among the most affordable in the country, ranking in the top 20% of all schools evaluated.

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Read the full story here.

This year’s list included six newcomers: Washburn University School of Law (A-), University of Louisville (A-), Rutgers Law School (B+), The University of Mississippi School of Law (B+), Samford University, Cumberland School of Law (B+) and University of California Davis School of Law (B+).

Meanwhile, six law schools fell off the ranking list.

2026 Best Value Law Schools

* indicates a private law school. Scroll horizontally to see all columns. Click on a column with an arrow to sort by that column and click again to sort in reverse. You may also search the table, page through the results, and set how many items to show at a time.

Rank	School	Grade	2-yr modified employment avg	Employment grade	2-yr ultimate bar pass %	Bar exam grade	Cost grade	Final GPA
1	University of Georgia	A+	95.7	4.33	99.2	4.02	4.33	4.28
2	Brigham Young University*	A+	94.4	4.00	99.1	3.99	4.33	4.16
3	University of Florida	A+	96.2	4.33	92.7	3.42	4.33	4.11
4	Florida State University	A+	96.3	4.33	94.6	3.69	4.33	4.07
5	University of Alabama	A+	95.6	4.33	95.0	3.66	4.33	4.06
6	University of Kansas	A+	95.1	4.33	98.4	4.08	4.00	4.04
7	Georgia State University	A+	91.7	3.66	94.0	3.35	4.33	3.95
8	University of Nebraska	A+	92.5	4.00	94.7	3.35	3.66	3.90
9	University of Missouri	A+	93.3	4.00	93.7	3.32	4.33	3.90
10	University of Illinois	A+	96.5	4.33	95.8	3.44	4.00	3.86
11	University of North Carolina	A	97.2	4.33	94.5	3.82	3.66	3.84
12	University of Iowa	A	96.3	4.33	91.2	3.22	4.00	3.83
13	Texas A&M Law	A	98.5	4.33	96.8	4.00	3.33	3.78
14	Texas Tech University	A	92.8	4.00	95.4	3.57	3.66	3.77
15	University of Kentucky	A	96.1	4.33	91.1	2.75	3.66	3.76
16	University of Utah	A	95.0	4.33	96.3	3.82	3.66	3.75
17	Ohio State University	A	92.9	4.00	95.8	3.84	3.66	3.72
18	University of Oklahoma	A	93.5	4.00	96.1	3.84	3.33	3.72
19	Temple University	A-	92.9	4.00	93.5	3.57	3.66	3.68
20	University Arkansas, Fayetteville	A-	86.8	3.00	92.6	3.08	4.33	3.68
21	Arizona State University	A-	94.1	4.00	95.2	3.59	3.00	3.44
22	Florida International University	A-	92.0	3.66	93.8	3.77	3.00	3.43
23	George Mason University	A-	93.1	4.00	95.9	3.60	3.33	3.52
24	Indiana U Bloomington	A-	92.3	3.66	96.3	3.53	3.66	3.48
25	Louisiana State University	A-	90.4	3.33	92.7	3.58	3.33	3.45
26	University Buffalo School of Law	A-	93.8	4.00	86.8	2.46	3.33	3.43
27	University of Arizona	A-	89.9	3.33	89.0	2.50	4.33	3.54
28	University of Cincinnati	A-	88.4	3.00	92.0	3.33	4.33	3.55
29	University of Colorado	A-	93.9	4.00	92.8	3.15	3.00	3.37
30	University of Louisville	A-	87.8	3.00	88.5	2.42	4.33	3.41
31	University of Minnesota	A-	95.1	4.33	98.2	3.99	3.00	3.45
32	University of Montana	A-	93.8	4.00	97.3	3.44	3.00	3.42
33	University of Pittsburgh	A-	87.7	3.00	93.0	3.33	4.00	3.38
34	University of South Carolina	A-	93.5	4.00	87.4	2.64	3.00	3.46
35	University of Tennessee	A-	91.9	3.66	90.7	3.31	3.33	3.61
36	University of Texas	A-	97.7	4.33	97.3	4.07	3.00	3.63
37	University of Wisconsin	A-	95.9	4.33	89.0	3.13	2.66	3.40
38	Villanova Law*	A-	93.9	4.00	93.8	3.82	3.33	3.39
39	Washburn University	A-	91.7	3.66	87.1	2.31	3.33	3.46
40	Washington University	A-	98.3	4.33	95.6	3.91	4.00	3.52
41	Wayne State University	A-	94.4	4.00	90.9	2.96	4.33	3.68
42	Boston University*	B+	95.3	4.33	97.1	3.75	2.66	3.16
43	Notre Dame Law School*	B+	96.4	4.33	97.6	4.08	2.66	3.21
44	Regent University*	B+	94.1	4.00	94.2	3.50	2.66	3.26
45	Rutgers Law	B+	90.7	3.66	82.6	1.60	3.66	3.19
46	Samford University*	B+	86.8	3.00	94.2	3.10	4.33	3.18
47	UC Davis School of Law	B+	93.8	4.00	92.6	3.33	3.33	3.15
48	University of Akron	B+	87.5	3.00	90.2	2.04	4.00	3.36
49	University of Connecticut	B+	88.3	3.00	90.3	3.09	4.00	3.35
50	University of Dayton*	B+	87.3	3.00	83.0	2.63	4.33	3.28
51	University of Hawai’i	B+	86.7	3.00	84.8	1.69	3.66	3.22
52	University of Houston	B+	92.2	3.66	93.1	3.24	3.00	3.27
53	University of Mississippi	B+	87.4	3.00	84.9	1.60	4.00	3.21
54	University of Missouri - KC	B+	90.7	3.66	90.3	2.73	2.66	3.27
55	University of South Dakota	B+	89.0	3.33	87.8	1.86	3.00	3.28
56	Wake Forest University*	B+	96.5	4.33	97.7	4.02	2.33	3.20
57	Washington and Lee University*	B+	95.3	4.33	95.3	3.42	2.66	3.28
58	William & Mary Law School	B+	94.3	4.00	98.1	3.93	2.66	3.32
Rank	School	Grade	2-yr modified employment avg	Employment grade	2-yr ultimate bar pass %	Bar exam grade	Cost grade	Final GPA

Rank School Grade 2-yr modified employment avg Employment grade 2-yr ultimate bar pass % Bar exam grade Cost grade Final GPA

1 University of Georgia A+ 95.7 4.33 99.2 4.02 4.33 4.28

2 Brigham Young University* A+ 94.4 4.00 99.1 3.99 4.33 4.16

3 University of Florida A+ 96.2 4.33 92.7 3.42 4.33 4.11

4 Florida State University A+ 96.3 4.33 94.6 3.69 4.33 4.07

5 University of Alabama A+ 95.6 4.33 95.0 3.66 4.33 4.06

6 University of Kansas A+ 95.1 4.33 98.4 4.08 4.00 4.04

7 Georgia State University A+ 91.7 3.66 94.0 3.35 4.33 3.95

8 University of Nebraska A+ 92.5 4.00 94.7 3.35 3.66 3.90

9 University of Missouri A+ 93.3 4.00 93.7 3.32 4.33 3.90

10 University of Illinois A+ 96.5 4.33 95.8 3.44 4.00 3.86

11 University of North Carolina A 97.2 4.33 94.5 3.82 3.66 3.84

12 University of Iowa A 96.3 4.33 91.2 3.22 4.00 3.83

13 Texas A&M Law A 98.5 4.33 96.8 4.00 3.33 3.78

14 Texas Tech University A 92.8 4.00 95.4 3.57 3.66 3.77

15 University of Kentucky A 96.1 4.33 91.1 2.75 3.66 3.76

16 University of Utah A 95.0 4.33 96.3 3.82 3.66 3.75

17 Ohio State University A 92.9 4.00 95.8 3.84 3.66 3.72

18 University of Oklahoma A 93.5 4.00 96.1 3.84 3.33 3.72

19 Temple University A- 92.9 4.00 93.5 3.57 3.66 3.68

20 University Arkansas, Fayetteville A- 86.8 3.00 92.6 3.08 4.33 3.68

21 Arizona State University A- 94.1 4.00 95.2 3.59 3.00 3.44

22 Florida International University A- 92.0 3.66 93.8 3.77 3.00 3.43

23 George Mason University A- 93.1 4.00 95.9 3.60 3.33 3.52

24 Indiana U Bloomington A- 92.3 3.66 96.3 3.53 3.66 3.48

25 Louisiana State University A- 90.4 3.33 92.7 3.58 3.33 3.45

26 University Buffalo School of Law A- 93.8 4.00 86.8 2.46 3.33 3.43

27 University of Arizona A- 89.9 3.33 89.0 2.50 4.33 3.54

28 University of Cincinnati A- 88.4 3.00 92.0 3.33 4.33 3.55

29 University of Colorado A- 93.9 4.00 92.8 3.15 3.00 3.37

30 University of Louisville A- 87.8 3.00 88.5 2.42 4.33 3.41

31 University of Minnesota A- 95.1 4.33 98.2 3.99 3.00 3.45

32 University of Montana A- 93.8 4.00 97.3 3.44 3.00 3.42

33 University of Pittsburgh A- 87.7 3.00 93.0 3.33 4.00 3.38

34 University of South Carolina A- 93.5 4.00 87.4 2.64 3.00 3.46

35 University of Tennessee A- 91.9 3.66 90.7 3.31 3.33 3.61

36 University of Texas A- 97.7 4.33 97.3 4.07 3.00 3.63

37 University of Wisconsin A- 95.9 4.33 89.0 3.13 2.66 3.40

38 Villanova Law* A- 93.9 4.00 93.8 3.82 3.33 3.39

39 Washburn University A- 91.7 3.66 87.1 2.31 3.33 3.46

40 Washington University A- 98.3 4.33 95.6 3.91 4.00 3.52

41 Wayne State University A- 94.4 4.00 90.9 2.96 4.33 3.68

42 Boston University* B+ 95.3 4.33 97.1 3.75 2.66 3.16

43 Notre Dame Law School* B+ 96.4 4.33 97.6 4.08 2.66 3.21

44 Regent University* B+ 94.1 4.00 94.2 3.50 2.66 3.26

45 Rutgers Law B+ 90.7 3.66 82.6 1.60 3.66 3.19

46 Samford University* B+ 86.8 3.00 94.2 3.10 4.33 3.18

47 UC Davis School of Law B+ 93.8 4.00 92.6 3.33 3.33 3.15

48 University of Akron B+ 87.5 3.00 90.2 2.04 4.00 3.36

49 University of Connecticut B+ 88.3 3.00 90.3 3.09 4.00 3.35

50 University of Dayton* B+ 87.3 3.00 83.0 2.63 4.33 3.28

51 University of Hawai’i B+ 86.7 3.00 84.8 1.69 3.66 3.22

52 University of Houston B+ 92.2 3.66 93.1 3.24 3.00 3.27

53 University of Mississippi B+ 87.4 3.00 84.9 1.60 4.00 3.21

54 University of Missouri - KC B+ 90.7 3.66 90.3 2.73 2.66 3.27

55 University of South Dakota B+ 89.0 3.33 87.8 1.86 3.00 3.28

56 Wake Forest University* B+ 96.5 4.33 97.7 4.02 2.33 3.20

57 Washington and Lee University* B+ 95.3 4.33 95.3 3.42 2.66 3.28

58 William & Mary Law School B+ 94.3 4.00 98.1 3.93 2.66 3.32

Rank School Grade 2-yr modified employment avg Employment grade 2-yr ultimate bar pass % Bar exam grade Cost grade Final GPA

Best Value Private Law Schools

Brigham Young University
Villanova Law
Boston University
Notre Dame Law School
Regent University
Samford University
University of Dayton
Wake Forest University
Washington and Lee University
*See the details for each in the chart above

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Data used

ABA data is used for bar exam passage, ultimate bar exam rates, employment, tuition and cost of living. Indebtedness data is from U.S. News & World Report.

Methodology

For bar exam, we look at the difference between the school rate and the average state rate and use an average of the two most recent years. We also use the two-year ultimate bar pass average.

For employment, we use the ABA’s official employment statistics, which breaks employment into 12 categories. We weight each category to calculate a weighted average, not counting graduates seeking further education.

Bar Passage Required: Full-time, Long Term is counted at 100%; Full-time, short term 70%; JD Preferred: Full-time, Long Term 70%; Professional position: Full-time, Long Term 60%; Bar Passage Required: Part-time, Long Term 50%; JD Preferred: Part-time, Long Term 40% JD Preferred: Full-time, short term 40%; Bar Passage Required: Part-Time, short term 30% Professional position: Part-time, Long Term 30%; Professional position: Full-time, short term 30%; JD Preferred: Part-Time, short term 10%; Professional position: Part-Time, Short Term 10%. All other categories received no value.

For tuition and costs, we use the tuition rate for in-state students and the lowest cost of living expense that a school provides to the ABA.

To determine final grades, we assign a numerical score to each school using a formula that weights each category as such: bar exam (15% of study); employment (35%); tuition, cost of living and debt (50%).

Want to see more rankings? Click here to explore all law school rankings!